Obama’s Speech: Democratic Convention Highest Convention Ratings In History

Democratic Presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama had a massive viewership for his acceptance speech Thursday night in a convention that got the highest ratings in televised U.S. political convention history, the New York Times reports:

At least 40 million Americans watched Senator Barack Obama accept the Democratic nomination for president Thursday night, a record for convention viewership that exceeded even the expectations of his aides.

The historic speech by the first African-American presidential nominee of a major political party reached 38.4 million viewers on 10 broadcast and cable networks, Nielsen Media Research said Friday. PBS estimated that an additional 3.5 million had watched its prime-time coverage.

…..Despite Republicans’ advance ridicule of the enormous venue, Invesco Field, and the set, an elaborate, columned backdrop, Democrats went to bed having heard terrific reviews of the final night of their convention. Indeed, the backdrop, initially derided as resembling a Greek temple — playing into the Republican line of attack that Mr. Obama’s supporters had deified him — turned out to be something of a hit; television reviewers and commentators praised the overall staging.

The ratings set new records:

The four-night convention was the most-watched since 1960, when Nielsen began measuring the events. The 10 p.m. hour, Eastern time, from Monday to Thursday was viewed by an average of 22.4 million households, Nielsen said, surpassing by half a million the Republican convention of 1976, previously top-rated.

The Times notes that there are some other factors that need to be considered, such as convention coverage now being shown on more channels. But even so, getting taht huge an audience for a convention is not easy.

The television audience for Mr. Obama’s speech was half again as large as the viewership for the acceptance speeches by President Bush and Senator John Kerry in 2004.

The biggest network winner: CNN which topped the list.

The lowest: Fox News and MSNBC — personality and ideology emphasizing networks that have started to resemble each other in tone, only with different political viewpoints — were the lowest.

What does this mean for the Democrats and Republicans?

FOR THE DEMOCRATS it means Obama got his message out unfiltered by the usual news/talk-news filters who often either now openly display their preferences or outright emotions. It means he got to make his pitch directly to a huge chunk of Americans. It means attempts to typecast or demonize him will become all the more harder — or easier, if people listening in didn’t agree with him. But a large number of Americans tuned in to watch him listen to him for themselves.

FOR THE REPUBLICANS it means their task is now harder. GOP certain nominee Sen. John McCain, in a move clearly timed to limit Obama’s bounce by occupying an attention-deficit news media with a more compelling story, made his Vice Presidential pick. But that likely still won’t obscure the impressions of viewers who tuned in got (negative or positive). Obama had addressed many of McCain’s campaign charges so if they are repeated again (as they will be) they will lose some of their force.
The AP:

The convention that comes closest in interest was the 1976 Republican gathering, which averaged 21.9 million homes. That was the year President Gerald Ford fought off a challenge for the nomination from future President Ronald Reagan. For Democrats, the closest came during the 1980 convention where Sen. Edward Kennedy challenged President Jimmy Carter for the nomination.

This year’s nomination fight was another epic battle, between Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Even though it was decided before the convention, viewers apparently were drawn to the historic nature of the first black man nominated as a major party presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, Political Wire reports that Greenberg Quinlan Rosner found that a focus group in Nevada received Obama’s speech quite well:

After viewing the speech, more than 1-in-4 of these swing voters moved from undecided to supporting Barack Obama or from supporting John McCain to undecided.

Obama achieved gains on every personal attribute tested in this exercise, with the most dramatic movement coming on some of the most important measures in our polling – ‘on your side,’ ‘has what it takes to be President,’ and ‘will keep America strong.’

In a head-to-head match-up with John McCain on which candidate would better handle a series of issues, Obama again gained ground on every measure, with the most significant movement coming on ‘national security,’ ’strengthening America’s relationships with other countries,’ and ’sharing my values.’

Final questions: What kind of viewership will the GOP convention get and what kind of audience will McCain get for his speech? And how will he appear in contrast to Obama before a crowd of 80,000? Will it contrast favorably and seem more down-to-earth, or provide a less stirring and notably thinner backdrop?